3 Steps to Get the Best CPAP Mask for Sleep Apnea Treatment

If you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea, you might be relieved that all those nights of snoring and waking up gasping or choking can actually be treated. Now, the next step is to start treatment, but we know that CPAP can be an intimidating subject. Knowing your options and getting as much information as you can will make things go more smoothly in your search for the best CPAP mask. Here are key steps you can do to know more about the subject.

Get a Prescription

A CPAP machine is medical equipment and you need a prescription to get one. Before this, however, you must be diagnosed with sleep apnea. Search for a sleep clinic in your area for an overnight study or go for a home sleep test.

Afterward, your body’s response to various air pressure levels will be measured by a technician. The sleep clinic can fill out your prescription for you. It should contain these details:

the type of device you need (CPAP, APAP, or BiPAP)

the pressure level

Once those pressure levels are set for you, never adjust them by yourself. Only a certified technician or a doctor is qualified to adjust CPAP pressure levels to ensure your safety.

Shop Around

If you went to a sleep clinic to get diagnosed, they are probably able to give you a CPAP machine after your study and perhaps even fit you for a mask. It’s important to know that you don’t have to buy from the clinic if you don’t want to.

There are a lot of options for sleep apnea CPAP devices out there, and you’re free to try out as many as you want from different retailers. If you tried out a full-face CPAP mask, for example, and you found out you weren’t very comfortable with it, you should try other designs, such as the no-mask CPAP Pro.

Choose Your Mask

The type of CPAP mask you choose can make or break your sleep apnea treatment. In fact, one of the most challenging aspects of sleep apnea treatment is sticking to it, since a lot of devices out there are simply not very comfortable or effective. There are four common types:

Nasal masks (cover the nose)

Full Face masks (cover the whole mouth and nose)

Nasal pillows (with tubes directly fitted to your nostrils)

Oral masks (attach to your teeth and gums)

At this point, you might want to read up on user experiences for each type to learn the pros and cons. For instance, there are people who experience skin irritation, claustrophobia, and discomfort when using full-face or nasal masks. Some report getting great sleep on nasal pillows. There are also those who love the freedom of movement that Boil n’ Bite devices like the CPAP Pro give them.

We understand that it can be daunting to go through all of these steps just to get treatment for your sleep apnea. But once you find the right CPAP device for you, the resulting good night’s sleep is definitely worth it. Our CPAP Pro specialists would be delighted to help you on your journey, so give us a call at your convenience!